The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1887-12-13
FARMS AND FARMERS,
Short Talks With the Men Who
Guide the PloW.
OF GENERAL INTEREST TO FARMERS
Winter work-The Farm Workshop.

wind. These last are important for it is in bad
weather when out door work is stopped, that
the shop will be most used. A dirt floor is
preferable, as stove should be placed in the
shop, that its occupant may be able to work in
coolest weather. A farmer is entitled to COM
fort as much as anybody else; in this case he
can have it at little cost. The equipments
may be greater or less, according to ones
means. A large oak block sawed off square,
like an anvil block, is indispensable for chop
ping purposes. A work bench with vise-the
latter may have wooden clamps with their
jaws lined with plates of iron, for holding
small objects; or if one can afford it, he can
have wooden clamp yise, and an iron one be-
side. An old anvil will be very desirable, one
partly broken and worn can usually be
bought cheap. In its absence piece of
steel railroad iron fastened securely
to the top of a heavy block and projecting be-
yond its side will be found convenient. OF
tools, saw, Ratchet draw-knife, hammer,
chisels, brace and bits, jack-plane, wood-rasp,
cold-chisel and punches will enable farmer
to do most of the jobs that his farm calls for
These tools need not cost much; $40 would
get very fair equipment for farm shop.
With shop thus equipped, the farmer is pre-
pared to utilize all rainy and very cold days
most proftably. Much of the winter can be
spent in it,
Let us see what he can proitably do. He
can overhaul his plow Stocks beam or ham
die may be broken; he can put in new ones
Extra beams and handles may be made and
laid aside to meet emergencies during the busy
crop season. Crooked trees and large limbs
may often be found, which, sawed in two,
make excellent plow handles. The pillow is
mentioned only as sample. Harrows, rakes,
-,1N n{o 1@o
paired, and duplicates made of parts most
likely to wear out or give way. Pieces of
ash or other wood, with suitable curve
for cradle fingers, may be found, and
cradles repaired, and extra fingers made and
laid aside for future use wagon bodies can be
made or repaired false bodies for hauling
bulky articles, fodder frames-all such things
can be attended to now, whilst little is being
done on the farm, much better than thew can
in the crop season, when, if anything breaks
work must be stopped, valuable time lost, and
repairing done hurriedly and imperfectly.
Young pines, with bark peeled off and laid
aside to season, will make excellent hoe helyes
by spring. A good supply of ak and grabbing
hoe handles should be provided. These are
liable to break at any time, and if no extra
ones are at hand the farmer is very apt, in an
emergency, to go to the store and buy one. 1t
is against this incessant buying at the store Or
shop that we are trying to guard the farmer
Perpetual buying is the ruin of our farmers
Much of it may be avoided by utilizing time,
which they would otherwise spend in idleness,
by working in shop. Looking ahead and
providing for emergencies is most valuable
habit in all business-in none more SO than in
farming. 1t saves time, it saves expense.
More than this, it secures efficient
work. An implement out of repair, or
imperfectly repaired Gas when hurriedly done)
will not do good or satisfactory work. 1t is
true economy for the farmer to have the best
tools and implements and these in the best
possible condition A hand can do more and
better work with sharp AK or sharp hoe
than he can with duh one and this is true of
every implement used ON the farm. Put all
therefore in good condition now and make
preparation to keep them so during crop sea-
son, having everything ready to repair quickly
and perfectly should an emergency arise.
If you haven't roller now is good time to
make one. Saw three blocks, foot and a
half long, from the largest oak you can find,
two to two and half feet in diameter will an
swef. Saw true, SO the ends will be parallel to
each other. Take the center in each end and
describe circle on it as large as the block will
allow, and trim or turn block down to these
circles, in same manner as the cylinders in a
wooden sorghum mill are made. Let the cir
cles on all blocks be of same size. Bore
through center of each block hole an inch
and a half in diameter, boring half way
from one end and half way from the
other, so as to get it true. Get
round iron or steel rod feet, inches long,
and Il inches in diameter, and put through
blocks having washer a half-inch thick be-
tween the blocks, so they can turn without
rubbing on each other. Shrink stout washer
on each end of the rod, close to the outside
blocks, to hold these in place. tits better to
put two iron boxes dixie wheel boxes in each
block, for the rod to work in. AS the rollers
will turn on the rod, the wood is liable to
wear. Make four-sided frame to go round
blocks with tongue framed to it, Put end of
rods through side of frame, and make seat
directly over top of blocks, with legs resting on
frame and the roller is finished A scraper
should be placed on back of frame, with its
front edge nearly touching the rollers, to
scrape off any dirt which may stick to the
rollers. A simpler roller may be made of a
single block say three feet long, with gudge-
ons in each end, and these let into the frame,
as above; but it will drag in turning round,
whilst that with sections turns like a two
wheeled cart. Every farmer ought to have a
roller. Land cannot well be
brought into fine filth without
one. Flowing, rolling and narrowing are the
three successive steps to getting land in first
rate condition. The pillow throws up elods and
turfs, the roller breaks or mashes them down
firmly in the soil so the teeth of the harrow
can cut through them. The roller is also very
useful in covering grain, whether plowed or
narrowed in many grains are left ON the sur
face, The roller by breaking clOds spreads
dirt over the seeds or else presses them down
and firms the soil about them so that they
come up and grow off promptly. 1t presses
down the stumps Of corn stalks or other like
DISTRACTIONS that would interfere with the
grading of low grain. 1t is indispensable in
smoothing the surface for mowers grass
blades BY all means make one, if you do not
own one. Having work shop will enable you
TO do it mainly at home, and during bad
weather when you have little to do Replae-
ing broken tongues, or hounds, or holsters or
single and doubletrees on wagons, willlall come
in as handy jobs when you have a shop with
proper tools and seasoned lumber OIse who
has never had a shop on his farm win be sur
prised at the number of things he can, and win
corytrn, vnopnv nd .mordip0 him, a ttlaac